Volume 3
This is the third volume of Hinamatsuri manga series by Masao Otake. It's available for purchase both physically and digitally. Volume Summary This volume begins with Hitomi informing the reader of her life circumstances. She explains that she excels academically, but that Utako blackmailed her into becoming a bartender. One night at the bar, her teacher and vice-principal walk in while she's serving Sabu and another customer. She prepares a drink for her teacher while contorting her face to hide her identity. He suspects that Hitomi is the bartender, but assures himself that she isn't after tasting her expertly mixed drink. He assures Hitomi that he will return to the bar again and she frets over how much money is piling up in the bank account she's hiding from her parents. Later, Nitta and Hina visit Nitta's mother and sister after Hina accidentally lets Nitta's mother know that she's living with him. Nitta constructs a backstory to hide Hina's supernatural origins and convince his family that she isn't his daughter, but Hina isn't able to improvise when questioned. Hina's cover story grows more bizarre as the evening goes on, but ends with Nitta, his mother, and sister welcoming Hina into their family. Nitta introduces HIna as his daughter to his late father and asks her if she has anything to say, but Hina declines as she does not understand the tradition and thinks that they are all talking to a photograph. Soon after, Hitomi spots Anzu collecting cans in the early morning as she's finishing a shift at Utako's bar. Approaching her, Hitomi learns that Anzu is collecting the cans to make money and takes her to other bars so she can get their cans. Grateful for the help, Anzu wants to treat Hitomi to a meal, and the young bartender learns in horror that Anzu is homeless and living by herself. Deciding that Hitomi is her first friend, the psychic girl decides to play with the young bartender in the park. Physically exhausted from working at the bar all night and emotionally drained from learning of Anzu's living conditions, Hitomi falls asleep while standing; much to Anzu's amazement. Following this experience, and after Hina bungles a trip to an auction with Nitta, Hina tells Anzu that she'd rather play video games than Anzu's traditional games; such as cat's cradle. Anzu decides to raise the money to buy a gaming console and enlists Hina's help in doing so. Anzu knows of a homeless man, Yoshida, who will buy used televisions from them for 3,000 yen apiece. The two find abandoned CTR TVs by the river and bring them to him, discretely using their powers in the process. However, they learn that Yoshida is looking for flatscreen TVs and that he will only pay them 10 yen for each of their CTR TVs. Not wanting to give-up, Anzu decides to continue the search and Hina invites Hitomi to help. After the three realize that they all know each other, they start looking again. Hitomi sneaks off to retrieve the television her family was planning on throwing out and leaving it for Anzu to find, but is stopped by a police officer and is unable to explain her situation. Meanwhile, Hina asks Nitta for money to buy a new TV, which he gives her. However, she forgets to save money for the taxi ride to Yoshida's shack and he ends up paying for her ride in exchange for the TV. Shortly after, Anzu arrives at Yoshida's shack just before Hitomi carts her old TV to the scene. A perplexed Yoshida ends up buying the television from the girls, not understanding why they don't sell the still functional appliance to a second-hand store for more money. Anzu, Hina, and Hitomi have some celebratory sodas in Anzu's shack, and Hina decides to join in other girls in a game of cat's cradle when she sees how much fun they are having. When Hina returns home, a confused Nitta asks Hina about what happened to the TV she purchased or the money she got for selling it. Shortly after the girls' excursion, Nitta goes through a typical day in his life. He spends his morning completing paperwork and helping his fellow gang members complete their administrative tasks. While he pretends to be exasperated with having to help them so much, he secretly appreciates how integral he is to the organization and how he fills a managerial position. His boss takes notice of Nitta's efforts, and those in similar positions grow jealous of him. After finishing work, Nitta runs into Hitomi at the grocery store and they gossip about Hina. When he returns home, Nitta cooks dinner for himself and Hina, cleans up after her, and realizes his personal life is now pretty domesticated. When Hina next attends school, she learns that her class will host an observation day and that she needs to write a letter for Nitta. While initially reluctant to attend, Nitta realizes how much it meant to Hina when he called her his daughter in front of his family and decides to go. However, when he tells his boss about the event, he's so shocked by Nitta's lackadaisical attitude that he has to go to the hospital. As a favor to Nitta, Utako attends observation day and the classroom assumes that Utako and Nitta are married. The chapter ends with Nitta arriving late and Utako declaring to the entire school that she's not Nitta's wife. A few days later, Utako calls off her date with Nitta and a surprise phone call with Hina is able to revive the leader of Nitta's gang. The volume ends with a humorous parable involving Nitta and Hina living in feudal Japan. Chapters * 011: Teenage Bartender Hitomi * 012: Nitta's Father Is A Handsome Guy * 013: Good Work, Hitomi * Extra 4: Old Fart Number 72 * 014: Three Heads Beat The Crap Out Of One * 015: Nitta's Splendid Day * 016: A Properly Scheduled Classroom Visit * Extra 5: A Few Days Later: All The Best To Everyone In Life * Extra 6: Poor Nittaemon Of Ashikawa Village